TOKYO, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- At the atomic bomb hypocenter near the Peace Park in Nagasaki, a black monolith stood silently, reaching toward the sky. On Sunday, bouquets were laid before it as mourners paused to pay their respects in silence.
On the same day, an annual memorial ceremony marking the 81st anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of the southwestern Japanese city was held at the Peace Park. Just beyond the park, a different scene was unfolding. Japanese citizens taking part in an anti-war rally repeatedly chanted two slogans: "No to wars of aggression! No to Sanae Takaichi!"
When Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi began delivering her address at the event, the protesters' voices grew noticeably louder.
"Although Takaichi said the Japanese government is upholding the Three Non-Nuclear Principles, she has not explicitly pledged to maintain them in the future. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has even argued that Japan should discuss nuclear-related policies without taboo," said Noriko Fujiwara, a 77-year-old Nagasaki resident. "We have a strong sense of crisis and feel that war could happen at any time."
The Three Non-Nuclear Principles of not possessing, not producing and not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons into Japan were formally adopted by the Japanese parliament in 1971 and have since become the cornerstone of the country's nuclear policy.
Japanese media previously reported that the Takaichi administration was considering revising the principle of not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons into Japan as part of the planned revision of the country's three key security documents later this year. At the same time, Takaichi herself has time and again stopped short of clearly stating whether Japan will continue to uphold the non-nuclear principles. Concerns are mounting across society over a potentially dangerous shift in the Takaichi administration's nuclear policy.
Anti-war activist Susumu Yamamoto comes to Nagasaki every year on Aug. 9 to take part in protests. This year, he said he was particularly concerned that the new three key security documents could open a door to undermining the Three Non-Nuclear Principles.
"We must take action to stop Takaichi and the Liberal Democratic Party from dragging Japan into war again," he said.
"The Takaichi government is trying to turn Japan into a country that could once again wage war," said Hidaka, a Nagasaki resident who took part in the anti-war rally. "Now, each and every one of us needs to make a choice."
Fujiwara shared with reporters her experience from a "Peace Bus" tour the previous day.
As the bus passed through Nagasaki Port, she recalled that on the left, a popular tourist attraction bustled with visitors, while on the right the shipyard of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries stretched along the waterfront, with the gray hulls of warships under construction clearly visible.
"On one side is the scenery of a tourist city, while on the other are ever-expanding military facilities. Wouldn't tourists feel something was out of place when they see this?" she asked.
According to an earlier report by Tokyo Shimbun, since Takaichi took office in October last year, at least 128 local assemblies from 36 prefectures across Japan have submitted written opinions to the Diet, Japan's parliament, urging the government to uphold the country's Three Non-Nuclear Principles.
The figure marks a record high for statements calling for the Three Non-Nuclear Principles to be maintained since the Diet began accepting written opinions from local assemblies in July 2000. ■